1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to improvement of the structure of gel tray of a horizontal electrophoresis trough used for biologic experiments, and especially to an improved gel tray which renders the process of consolidation of gel fast and convenient against the defects of having the necessity to repeat manufacturing processes resided in conventional techniques.
Horizontal electrophoresis troughs are designed for separation and analysis in DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid) in biotechnology, this is based on the principle that electric current drives molecules to move in gel formed from a kind of porous material, and the DNA and RNA are separated by difference of the electric load of the ionic elements and sizes of the molecules respectively of the DNA and RNA themselves. This occupies an extreme important position in the application of the basic theory of biotechnology.
As shown in FIG. 1, an electrophoresis trough is comprised mainly of an upper lid A, a lower trough body B and a gel tray C, wherein, the upper lid A and the lower trough body B are provided on the front and rear ends thereof with electrode members, the lower trough body B is in the form of a vessel to receive therein buffer solution for an experiment, a platform B1 is provided centrally of the lower trough body B to support the gel tray C. Two walls are provided laterally of the gel tray C which is opened on the front and rear sides thereof. When the gel tray C is provided therein with pre-consolidated gel D, and a solution sample for analysis and test is placed in a sample hole on the gel D in the lower trough body B, then the electrode members are electrically connected to drive the molecules in the sample from the negative electrode toward the positive electrode, in order to separate molecules of different natures.
In the above process, the liquid gel D must be consolidated into a porous solid state in advance for proceeding of the experiment, and the front and rear sides of the pre-consolidated gel D must be kept plane in order to get correct conclusion of the experiment. Therefore, the preference conditions for analysis and test of the experiment are to find a way to consolidate the gel in the gel tray and to keep it intact in the electrophoresis trough.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A method for consolidation of gel in the early period was to use sterilized tapes to seal the opened front and rear ends of a gel tray C, and then to cast liquid gel therein; the sterilized tapes were torn off after consolidation of the gel.
Such method using sterilized tapes is simple and convenient, however, it is disadvantageous in that sterilized tapes are soft tapes, pressure created by the cast liquid gel will spread the sterilized tapes outwardly to form arciform rims on the solidified gel and to make leakage at the gaps resulted at the junctions of the sterilized tapes and the gel tray. Thereby, rough edges are generated at the front and rear ends of the consolidated gel, this influences quality of samples in the experiment, an operator even needs to repeat for several times or makes once for all many spare consolidated gels in order to get a gel perfectly manufactured. This is time and spirit consumptive. Besides, the gel leakage by capillarity will make untidy of the table surface in a lab. And more, the sterilized tapes are discarded after use; they cannot be repeatedly used and thus are uneconomic.
As shown in FIG. 2 which shows a second conventional method, wherein, the gel tray C is directly placed under the platform B1 of the lower trough body B, and the lower trough body B is provided at the locations on the lateral sides thereof near by the front and rear ends of the gel tray C with a plurality of vertical xe2x80x9cVxe2x80x9d shaped grooves E for inserting therein stop plates F. The stop plates F form barrels inside of the front and rear ends of the gel tray C. Thereby, after consolidation of the cast liquid gel, the stop plates F can be removed, and manufacturing of the gel can be completed.
Such method has the advantage that after removing of the stop plates F, if the consolidated gel is perfect, it can be used directly for the experiment, and can be repeatedly used. However, it has the disadvantages that, tightness of closing of the stop plates F and the grooves E is insufficient, leakage still exists; and consolidation of the cast liquid gel directly in the lower trough body B results inability of making many spare consolidated gels (unless there are many expensive electrophoresis troughs). If the gel is damaged, it must be manufactured again from the beginning and must wait again for consolidation; this is troublesome and time consuming. And more, after consolidation, the rims of the consolidated gels will be attached to the stop plates F; hence when the stop plates F are removed by lifting upwardly, the consolidated gels may be damaged. Further, by the fact that the objects for the gel tray C in the experiment may be varied, widths of the front and rear ends of the gel tray C include at least two kinds, each gel tray C can only be used for a specific electrophoresis trough, i.e., at least two electrophoresis troughs of different specifications must be provided for a lab, this is surely uneconomic.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, they show a third known technique, wherein, an auxiliary seat G is used to assist a gel tray C for gel consolidation, the auxiliary seat G is comprised of a base G1, a movable front stop plate G2 and a fixed rear stop plate G3. The gel tray C is placed on the base G1 with the rear end thereof being abutted against the fixed rear stop plate G3. Now the movable front stop plate G2 can be adjusted horizontally to close to the front end of the gel tray C, a rotary knob G4 can be screwed tight and then the front and rear ends of the gel tray C are sealed in order to proceed gel consolidation. The rotary knob G4 is unscrewed after gel consolidation to allow moving outwardly of the movable front stop plate G2, thus manufacturing is completed.
Such method using the auxiliary seat G to assist the gel tray C has a defect of being more trouble in operation, and cost of the auxiliary seat G is more expensive. While it is quite safe to release the consolidated gel by moving outwardly of the movable front stop plate G2 without damaging the consolidated gel, this can be an important reference.
As shown in FIG. 5 which shows a fourth conventional method, wherein, a gel tray C is directly placed in a container H, the gel tray C is sealed by surrounding plates H1, liquid gel D is cast into the gel tray C and is consolidated, then the gel tray C can be taken out. Such a conventional structure can be very convenient for use; however, it has the same defect as that of the structure shown in FIG. 2, i.e., the consolidated gel D is subjected to damage.
The inventor of the present invention developed the improved structure of gel tray for an electrophoresis trough based on his specific experience of years in manufacturing as well as selling biologic experimental instruments and after synthesizing the advantages and disadvantages of the conventional techniques. With this structure, the gel tray can complete gel consolidation faster, more convenient and more economic.
In particular, the gel tray of the present invention is comprised mainly of a body and a front and a rear stop member, wherein, the body can be placed in an electrophoresis trough. Two side wall-plates on the bottom plane plate of the gel tray are extended vertically upwardly and provided with a plurality of recesses; the front and rear ends of the bottom plane plate are opened. The above stated stop members are further respectively provided with a stop plate, and are respectively assembled together with an engaging member and a lever latch. When the front and rear stop members are respectively placed on the front and rear ends of the tray body with the stop plates thereon, they can be engaged in the recesses on the side wall-plates by moving the lever latches on the engaging members. So that the stop plates tightly abut against the front and rear ends of the tray body, the surrounding walls of the tray body thus are formed in a sealing state for casting therein liquid gel. After consolidation of the gel, the tray body can be released from engaging of the side wall-plates again by moving of the lever latches to move the engaging members. The stop members thereby can be detached without damaging the front and rear end surfaces of the consolidated gel.
The present invention has the following advantages structurally:
1. Mounting and detaching of the front and rear stop members are very fast and convenient; they are operationally easy and convenient for use.
2. When in detaching the stop members after consolidation of the gel, the stop plates are moved away from the gel horizontally, thereby, the front and rear end surfaces of the consolidated gel will not be damaged.
3. The front and rear stop members of the present invention can suit gel trays of various widths, there is no need to purchase another electrophoresis trough to suit another gel tray.
4. Cost of production of the stop members is inexpensive; a user is not necessarily to purchase them with overly expensive prices.
The present invention will be apparent in its particular structure and function after reading the detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof in reference to the accompanying drawings.